COVID-19 & RW2020

​Welcome to Ridgewood Pool 2020(Updated 5/27/2020)

The Ridgewood Board and staff have been working diligently to determine if, when and how Ridgewood can open this summer. The safety of Ridgewood members and staff is the #1 priority. We're very happy to share that procedures and policies are being put in place so that Ridgewood will be able to open. We're delighted that Ridgewood will continue to be a special part of summer, but there will be changes, and that includes additional responsibilities for members as well as staff.

Please know that all decisions have been based upon three guiding principles:

The #1 priority is the health, safety and enjoyment of members, and the well-being of staff.

Ridgewood Pool is abiding by guidelines from Public Health Madison & Dane County in its Forward Dane Reopening Plan. Those guidelines include mandated capacity limits, social distancing and other safety requirements that we will follow through the summer, adjusting as Dane County moves through the phases. Guidelines have additionally been informed by information from the CDC, WEDC's Badger Bounce Back, USA Swimming, the American Red Cross, and consultation with health professionals.

Both the pool (volunteer board & staff) and all Ridgewood members take equal responsibility in helping to maintain a safe, healthy and fun environment at Ridgewood.

Document ContentsWithin this document you will find the following:

Section 1: Policies and Procedures: Details on new pool policies, procedures and member requirements that have been established to maintain a safe and healthy pool environment.

Section 2: Activities and Schedule: Status and schedule information on pool activities, including lessons, practices, and social events.

This document is meant to be an initial, broad overview of what you can expect as Ridgewood adjusts operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further specifics are being developed based on new and evolving information, and you can anticipate this document will be updated. We will continually monitor, evaluate, and potentially change our operations based on evolving public health guidance, our own observations, as well as member and staff feedback throughout the summer so what is outlined here is subject to change as needed.

Section 1: Policies and Procedures

General Guidelines

Members shall not enter Ridgewood facilities if they have a fever or other symptoms of COVID-19, have a flu-like illness, nor known exposure to a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Member temperature checks will not be done at the pool.

Capacity Limits: During Phase One of Dane County's reopening, Ridgewood can operate at 25% capacity which is 57 people for the Lower Pool and 50 people for the Upper Pool. If the County moves to Phase 2, capacity changes to 50%. Phase 3 is 75%. Please note these capacity limits include Ridgewood staff. These capacity numbers dictate the maximum allowable capacity. However we reserve the right to adjust our own capacity limits below this number if needed to maximize the safety of members and staff.

Entry and Exit: We anticipate having a one-way traffic pattern for entry to and exit from the facility to avoid bottlenecks and to maintain social distancing. This traffic pattern will depend on the configuration of a reservation system. We will provide specific instructions to follow closer to opening day and have clear signage onsite. Members waiting to enter or exit are expected to maintain 6' distance from others nearby who are not from the same household. Members should use hand sanitizing solution upon entering Ridgewood, and frequently throughout their time at the pool.

Social Distancing on Deck: Chair placement on deck is being reconfigured for 6' social distancing, allowing for seating of individuals alone, as well as members of the same household to be together. Chairs may not be moved to a different location.

Diving Boards: There will be markings on the deck so people standing in line for the diving boards can maintain 6' distance. Hand sanitizing solution will be located near the boards and people should use it each time prior to climbing the ladder. Ladders will additionally be routinely wiped down by staff with a sanitizing solution.

Age Restriction: Children under the age of 10 are not allowed at the pool without the presence and direct supervision of a parent, guardian or babysitter due to the critical need to maintain social distance on deck and in the water. Lifeguards cannot be tasked with enforcing social distance in the water. If a child of any age repeatedly breaks social distancing guidelines after being reminded, the child's parent or guardian will be notified that they must accompany the child on all future visits to the pool. If it is clear that multiple children break social distancing guidelines, the unsupervised age level will be revised.

Locker Rooms and Showers: Use of the locker rooms is discouraged because it is difficult to keep people from congregating. People should arrive at the pool dressed for swimming then leave when finished and change at home. Showers are not anticipated to be available.

Food and Drink: The Snack Shack will not be open. The water fountain and water bottle filling station will be turned off. Members should bring their own water bottles and are welcome to bring their own snacks. Please dispose of packaging and empty beverage containers immediately. Trash receptacles will be topless for touchless disposal, and will be routinely emptied by staff.

Face Masks: Members are strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear face masks when arriving and leaving the pool due to the possibility of being less than 6' away from others while walking. Members may use face masks while sitting on the edge of the pool or standing in the pool, but cannot wear face masks while swimming. Members who choose to wear facemasks must provide their own.

Liability Waiver: Even with additional safety protocols and guidelines, being in any space where there are people beyond your own household has inherent health risks. For that reason, all Members must sign a Liability Waiver before entering Ridgewood facilities. Please watch for specific, separate communication regarding this which must be completed prior to visiting the facility.

Guest Policy: Members will not be allowed to bring guests other than designated babysitters/caretakers. This is due to capacity limits, and will maximize time and space for Ridgewood members to enjoy the pool.

Reminders: Signage will be posted throughout the facility reminding individuals experiencing COVID-like symptoms to stay home. There will also be clear signage noting hand-washing expectations, use of hand sanitizer, and proper cough and sneeze etiquette.

Open Swim Guidelines

Reservations: We are exploring a reservation system for Open Swim due to capacity limits. The availability of this system, as well as the specific procedure to make a reservation is still TBD. We anticipate more details to become available within the next few days, but our target is to use the lower pool for family open swim and the upper pool for lap swim, with the potential option to reserve lanes for specific purposes including dedicated time for seniors and other immune-compromised individuals. We are prioritizing equitable access for all members.

Members Must Enforce Social Distancing: Members must help promote social distancing and respect the space of others. It is Member responsibility to enforce social distance in the water of themselves and their children for everyone's health and safety. Lifeguards cannot be tasked with enforcing social distance in the water.

Staff Protocols

1) Employees who have a fever or other symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to work.

2) Staff will be provided with and wear face coverings when unable to maintain at least 6 feet distance from people. Where a transparent partition is in place, a face covering is recommended but not required.

3) Staff will clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces in the pool area and restrooms multiple times a day.

4) Ridgewood will maintain an adequate supply of paper towels, soap and hand sanitizer to allow proper hand hygiene among employees and members. Signage will emphasize effective hand hygiene, including washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds

5) Waste baskets and garbage cans will be no touch, and will be routinely emptied by staff.

Pool capacity will be monitored and limited to adhere to the current guidelines (projected to be approximately 25% on June 1st)

During the hours of open swim, the dive well will be open, and will follow our normal procedures of a maximum of three people in the dive well at a time (1 from each dive board). Signage will provide designated spacing to those waiting in line for a dive board

The baby pool will also be open during these times per usual, and will follow the same capacity and social distancing recommendations

We will, of course, monitor pool usage and member feedback, and will adjust the schedule as necessary

Swim lessons will be provided for Levels 5 and above, Parent/Tot and Water Safety

There will be no lessons for Levels ¾ & 1-4 initially because they require hands-on contact between the instructor and swimmer.

We will consider the possibility of Lessons for Levels 1-4 later in the summer if conditions allow. Members who want to revise their membership level to Family Rec rather than Family Plus if lessons are not offered for their child can get an appropriate refund.

Members who want to wait to see if lessons for their child's level might be available later in the summer will have the opportunity for a refund of the difference in the membership level price later in the summer when a final decision is made.

Class size and instruction method will abide by social distancing guidelines

Exact swim lesson start date is TBD, but we are planning for mid-to-late June

Exact swim lesson schedule is TBD based on final participation numbers

Dive LessonsRidgewood is still exploring the possibility of offering Dive Lessons, but at this time, specifics are still TBD.

Water BalletCurrently, we do not plan to hold water ballet lessons this season. We may choose to revisit this as we have a better understanding of how the season is progressing. For members who have already paid for water ballet lessons, this fee can be refunded upon request.

Swim TeamWe anticipate team practices will take place during the hours of 6:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Monday-Friday with the possibility of some late afternoon or late evening practices, depending upon final participation numbers.

There will be no league-sanctioned dual meets, nor the All-City Championship swim meet this year; we remain open to the possibility of at least one small meet late in the season, but this has not yet been determined

The exact format of team practice is still TBD, but may incorporate skill-appropriate independent workouts given with the guidance of an on-deck coach

Exact practice schedule, including duration and frequency of practices is TBD, but may be as limited as 30 minutes 2x/week and as frequent as 1 hour 5x/week depending upon the ultimate number of participants

The exact start date of practices is TBD, but we are planning for mid to late-June

Lanes will be limited to 1 swimmer per lane; multiple swimmers from the same household may share a lane

Right now, there are no plans to reduce swim team fees as we anticipate paying our coaches for extended time on deck as they oversee more, smaller group practices, but we reserve the option to revisit this once we have finalized the structure and schedule of practices

Dive TeamWe anticipate holding dive team practices if there is enough stated interest to do so. Dive practice schedule is TBD based on final participation numbers.

There will be no league-sanctioned dual meets, nor the All-City Championship dive meet this year

The exact format of team practice is still TBD

Exact practice schedule, including duration and frequency of practices is TBD

The exact start date of practices is TBD, but we are planning for mid to late-June

Social EventsTo abide by all Forward Dane Reopening requirements including capacity limits, social distancing and food guidelines, all pool-sponsored social events are canceled for the 2020 season. This includes:

Ice cream social

Sunday brunches (upper pool will still be reserved for Adults-Only during this time, however)

Adult Night

Pool carnival

Teen nights

Member Volunteer RequirementThe Member Volunteer Requirement is being waived for the 2020 season. We may solicit volunteers on an as-needed basis for specific activities (i.e. fall cleanup), continuing to follow all necessary health and safety guidelines at that time. Participation will be voluntary and at the discretion of the individual member.

​April 1, 2020

Dear Ridgewood Community,We hope this finds you and your family well and weathering these turbulent times. Ridgewood's all-volunteer board recently convened to make some preliminary decisions regarding how we plan to approach the uncertainty surrounding this year's season. Full Steam Ahead

At this time, we are optimistically preparing for the best case scenario: that the pool opens on-time as-usual. Based on currently available information and projections, there is a very good chance that we will be able to get most or all of a full season in this year, so we have already started spring preparatory work on the facility. Group volunteer building/grounds clean-up days are suspended until further notice though, per the Governor's Safer-at-Home order. We'll keep you posted with new developments.New Member Registration

We will proceed as planned to open registration to NEW members on Wednesday, April 15. We understand that people's financial situations are unpredictable right now, so we want to reassure you that your registration alone will hold a spot for your membership this year, whether new member or returning member. Once/If we start nearing capacity for our Special Summer Non-Stock Memberships or membership overall, we will all be in a much better position to predict what lies ahead, and communicate with you about options when that time comes. Until then though, again, we will hold your spot for you.New Member Referral Credit

On a related note, we are excited to announce that we are bringing back our New Member Referral Credit! Anyone registering for a Special Summer Non-Stock Membership will be invited to list one current member who referred them to join Ridgewood this year. That current member will then receive a $50 credit toward 2021's fees*. So returning members, start spreading the word about how much you love Ridgewood and encourage a friend to give us a try this year!*Eligible credit recipients must have been members prior to this year and must be active members this year. Credit will only be redeemable in 2021.Worst Case Scenarios

What if we have to open late? Or worse - not at all? We all hate thinking about this part for a lot of reasons. Beyond the thoughts of losing even a moment of our favorite summer activities, lots of complicated questions start popping up, like "What about lessons? And water ballet? And swim/dive team? And...ALL-CITY???" Gulp. Folks, it's too early to start wading into the weeds on those questions. We want to assure you that the board has already had extensive discussions about the what-ifs, but it's just too soon to make any real decisions on those things since they involve so many moving parts. We ask for your patience while we all see how this situation plays out so we can make well-informed decisions if and when the time comes.However, in the meantime, we can share this with you:Refunds/Prorating

If the pool can't open AT ALL: Refunds or credits toward next year will be offered.If the pool opens substantially later than planned: Prorated refunds or credits toward next year will be offered.Takeaways

If you haven't yet, go ahead and register online to reserve your spot at the pool this year

Swim lesson signup will still be assigned in order of when payment was received

Please contact us if you have any questions at this time. We may not be able to provide answers yet, but we will do our best. We hope to see you all this summer to look behind us at the craziness we're currently experiencing. Hang in there everyone, and be well.